“The number of FNB customer interactions has tripled since 2010, growing at more than 20% per annum every year, based on the growth in digital channels. Meanwhile, at branches, customers are making significant use of in-branch digital zones,” adds Nieuwoudt.
“One thing we can all agree on is that digital progress is inevitable.”

He says the implications of the use of technology by society are immensely profound, with terms such as “The Second Machine Age” or the “Fourth Industrial Revolution” being used to give this evolution a name.

“The reasons for the growth and migration of volumes to digital are obvious as almost every customer knows they can do basically any payment transaction, account or card service function and get most products…via the FNB app, online or cellphone banking,” he says.

However, Nieuwoudt says this does not mean branches will go out of business. He notes branches and branch personnel are no less critical than before, but their role has changed from performing transactions to re-focusing on sales and advising customers on how to bank.

“In spite of the powerful digital technology, today the bulk of banking consumers still want to talk to someone when opening a new account and even for most product categories.

“Additionally, consumers often need help with the new technology, even just to get going and start using it.

“In most cases, branches can be much smaller, but with more room for digital zones and self-service devices such as ATMs and ADTs (deposit-taking machines). This journey is not unique to banking – virtually every sales or service business is or will be going through some elements of digital transformation.”

Nieuwoudt also says that today only a very small percentage of credit decisions are made by people – rather statistical models are used to make fully automated decisions instantly at low cost and with accuracy not achievable by a person.

“A lot of those (wealthier) customers, two million of them, actually frequent our stores already, but not exclusively,” he said in an interview.

“Our job is to get a better share of their wallets when they are in our stores and then impress them so that they come back again.”

Shoprite was doubling its offering of the kind of high-end convenience foods that Woolworths built its reputation on – from gourmet lamb shanks and oxtail stew to teriyaki-and-ginger basted pork ribs.

Its range would reach around 500 products by the end of this year, Engelbrecht said.

These products typically cost about R200 for a meal for four — 10 times the minimum wage of R20 an hour as set by new labour laws making their way through Parliament.

As part of the drive to expand its range, Engelbrecht said Shoprite had upgraded its food technology and development facilities, and gone on a hiring spree for food developers and technologists.

The company planned to open 23 new outlets of its higher-end Checkers chain of stores, mostly in wealthy suburbs such as Waterfall City north of Johannesburg.

New Checkers stores and established ones that had been refurbished resembled Woolworths outlets with sparse lighting and wood-panelled sections boasting extensive wine and gourmet coffee selections, as well as counters selling quality selections of cheese and meat.

‘I love Woolies’

But how will Woolworths defend a market that delivered handsome profits for the company?

When asked about Shoprite’s push into upmarket convenience food, Woolworths said that it had an “incredibly valuable emotional connection” with its customers.

“Retail is a dynamic environment and the competition in the grocery and food market category means that we will always keep a watching brief on our competitors’ activities,” it added.

“We conduct weekly basket checks against the prices of competitors to ensure that our prices are comparable.”

It was a tall order for Shoprite to break Woolworths’ stranglehold.

“They (Woolworths) have been good at introducing new products and other innovations in line with consumer trends and feedback,” said Old Mutual Invest food retail analyst Kaya Nodada.

If Shoprite was to prevail, it would have to win over shoppers like JF Fourie.

“I love Woolies. The microwave meals are a bit overpriced, but they are tasty,” the 28-year-old who works in marketing said in the Woolworths branch in eastern Pretoria as she added shimeji mushrooms to the baby brinjals in her basket.

Fourie – a big fan of Gordon Ramsay – said she would need some convincing about the quality of Shoprite’s products, but would give it a go because Checkers adverts feature the British celebrity chef.

Nobody likes dealing with miserable people, and in parts 1 and 2 of this series we looked at how important issues of self-image and self-esteem created unhappiness and obnoxious behaviour. I also discussed that there are serious consequences that both you and the unfortunate other party have to deal with when we are unable to resolve problems and complaints effectively. In this final article I want to share some more practical ideas for dealing with these.

In any “customer from hell” situation, we need to assume that you have made all efforts to deal reasonably with the unhappiness. An easy way to remember what to do is summarised in the acronym LESTER.

• Listen carefully to what the unhappy customer is complaining about
• Empathise with them
• Say sorry and apologise
• Thank them for bringing it to your attention, and for having the courage to complain rather than just bad-mouthing your business, defecting to a rival, or worse. And then, when they are calm
• Explore options and explain what you can do, and finally
• Rectify the problem with a win:win solution, (following up to make sure it was truly resolved.)

But we are not dealing with normal, unhappy customers and their complaints and problems in this article. We are discussing the emotional, irrational, illogical and unreasonable customers from hell that don’t respond to all of your efforts to help them. You must be able to protect yourself from such individuals, because of the awful effect that they have on you. That one person that you have to deal with makes you forget the other 99% of nice people that you deal with on a day-to-day basis. The terrible memories of this encounter will stay vividly in your mind for a very long time. It makes work very unpleasant, and is demoralising and demotivating for everyone involved. Most importantly, it starts eating away at your own confidence, esteem and self-worth.

There are a few choices that you have in dealing with these customers…

• Laugh it off: Not always easy, but remember it’s mostly their problem, not yours. Of course, they will do their best to get you caught up in their problem – and their dramas.

• Just accept their behaviour, and allow the abuse to continue. It may be that this customer from hell is too important to your business, or has too much power for you to deal with. I don’t like this option, however, because if you allow the abuse to continue, it will continue, and maybe get even worse. More importantly what about the effect that this has on you? If you have no choice, protect yourself from these individuals by talking to somebody, or by taking out your frustrations somehow. Remember that ships don’t sink because of the water around them… They sink because of the water that gets in them. Are you going to allow this to happen in your life, and allow things to weigh you down? Do anything to let it go. Alternatively, just laugh it off.

• Confront with equal aggression: also not a good choice most of the time, because they will not like it, and the resulting consequences may be even worse. Also, don’t forget that passive aggression where you come up with creative ways of taking revenge on them or putting them down, is just as bad as real aggression.

• Confront assertively, by interrupting them in a firm voice to say something like this: “Mr. Smith, I want to help you, but I can’t do that while you are aggressive/abusive/shouting at me. Will you allow me to do so?” This is particularly important when customers become abusive and threaten you, bully you, insult you or even get physically violent. You need to be able to “draw a line in the sand” so to speak, and to let them know that their behaviour is not acceptable.

• Put the ball in their court. You may want to try this out: tell them that you have now come to the point where you have exhausted all of your options. You have tried everything in your power to help them, and they have not responded. “What do you want me to do?” There are three possible answers to this question. First, they may tell you what they want, and it’s impossible for you to do that, so you are going to have to say “No.” Second, they may tell you what they want, and you are able to respond to that, in which case do it and move on. But there is also a third possibility: they don’t respond, because they can’t think of anything else that you can do. At this stage, they may come to the realization that you have done your best, but don’t expect them to readily admit that. But at least they may become more reasonable.

• Cut the anchor: let them go. This is a tricky one, and we suggest that you check it out with your manager first. But if the abuse is becoming too much for you to deal with, you could say something like: “Mr. Jones, I am uncomfortable with all of the swearing and insults that you are shouting at me. With the greatest respect to you, I am now going to walk away, (or put the telephone down. Goodbye” And then walk away or put the telephone down softly. (In fact, pass them onto your competitors!) Don’t wrestle with pigs. It will get you all muddy and the pigs will love it.
• Just keep trying to sort it out, whatever it takes. If you do manage to turn them around, and you keep trying everything you can to turn them around, you may find a customer for life. What often helps is if you in fact tell them that you will not give up on them, ever.

Some final thoughts

• It’s obvious that you need a really great sense of humour to be able to deal with these abusive customers, and, as one author put it, “A thick skin is a gift from God.”

• David may have fought Goliath – but he didn’t choose to wrestle him. Choose your battles carefully

• Don’t take things personally. Remember that what people say is more a reflection of them, their reality, not a reflection of you.

• Be kind to unkind people – they need it the most

I’d like to end off with a line from one of my favourite lines from the poem “If,” written by Rudyard Kipling:

If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs’, and blaming it on you…Then yours is the earth and everything that’s on it.

In part 1 last month, I wrote that poor self-esteem and self-confidence are the biggest barriers to being assertive and dealing with customers from hell.

In fact, many of the inappropriate behaviours that we see in others, and in ourselves, come from this one source. It is an unfortunate fact that people suffering from low self-esteem may display some or all of the following behaviours:

Shooting from the hip. In other words speaking before thinking, saying things they will regret and have to apologise for later. People like this feel self-pity, are short-tempered, tend to overreact, and rationalise their behaviour.

Gossiping. A gossiper has low self-esteem and by gossiping about others, their feeling of powerlessness decreases. Such a person may become the trouble-maker of the office or in their family.

Attention-seeking. Attention elevates the person with low self-esteem, emotionally. They are “high maintenance” people who sap energy from others, often displaying inappropriate behaviours and almost always regretting it afterwards. They almost always end up feeling even worse about themselves.

Withdrawal. Sometimes to the point of becoming anti-social. Unfortunately this exacerbates feelings of unworthiness. Other consequences include others seeing them as people who produce poor results, lack discipline, are introverted, even rude.

Put themselves down. See obstacles and problems, not opportunities, turn down even small challenges and are very risk averse, sell themselves short, do things to please others, can’t say no even when it is greatly inconvenient, don’t express right choices, preoccupied with themselves, sometimes to the point of being selfish, resist change, and constantly speak negatively about themselves and their circumstances to others. They procrastinate a lot.

Suffer from ill health, and even become hypochondriacs. They are overweight or anorexic, show signs of stress, nervousness and anxiety (like timidity and even open fear,) smoke, drink or take drugs excessively, are sexually promiscuous, seem to be excessively hyperactive or excessively tired/fatigued. Constantly focus on every twitch, ache or pain and letting people around them know that they are not well. Unfortunately people’s reactions and responses normally enable the hypochondriacs behaviour.

Half empty cups. People suffering from low self-esteem and lack of confidence tend to be very negative and pessimistic about everything. They are risk averse and fearful, have a negative attitude, suffer from the “Yes, but….” Syndrome, appear indecisive, confused, or complacent, sometimes put on a show of bravado, but also seem withdrawn, disinterested, apathetic, or show a “Who cares” attitude.

Unhappiness leads to other problems. They almost always feel unhappy, miserable and even depressed. They don’t take criticism easily, don’t want to take responsibility, sometimes aggressive, sometimes appear greedy, irresponsible, suspicious, reckless, impatient, emotional/tearful, obnoxious, and withdrawn. They give no positive strokes or recognition to others, but occasionally give excessive flattery which is rejected because it is so artificial and desperate.

Hate-speech and foul language. Someone suffering from low self-esteem may speak ill of others to the point of hate-speech, and/or swear a lot. They are often excessively loud, and indulge in gossip, deceitfulness, jealousy and envy, criticism, blaming others, and looking for excuses. Insist on inappropriate jokes and comments, often resulting in inappropriate behaviour that others find offensive. Unfortunately their behaviour is often infectious in the workplace and they drag others down with them.

It doesn’t paint a pretty picture, does it? All of the symptoms and characteristics described above are symptoms of a poor self-image, which affects almost everything in life, and leads to many negative consequences.

Here are some practical steps that you can follow to remain calm – and deal with matters for a more favourable result:

1. Remember that your choice is not limited to expressing anger or not expressing anger: Sometimes you can use a supportive approach. For example, someone yells at you and barks orders for you to do something you feel is completely unprofessional. Say something like, “Is there something wrong, Pat? I know there must be, or you would never speak to me that way.”

2. When appropriate, make the deliberate decision not to express anger: Initially, expressing anger may make you feel important. There are times, however, when you cannot express your anger, such as when a frail old customer or an innocent child angers you, or when a traffic cop threatens you with arrest. But the opposite may also be true. It is often very therapeutic for the other person to let off a little bit of steam, to express their own frustration and anger. Allow them to vent if you think it is necessary, and pay no attention to the hurtful things that they say. We usually don’t mean the things that we say when we are angry.

3. Get some insight into the nature of the difficulty: Do this by putting yourself in their shoes and analysing the situation, your own emotions, and your behaviour. Armed with this information, you can then take charge of your reactions rather than letting your instincts control you. (As the HBR article mentioned, perhaps there is some historical event in your life that is triggered by what just happened.) Ask yourself questions like, “What are they really trying to say? Why did they overreact? What is the problem behind the question? Why are they hurting?” Maybe you were just there at the wrong time, but if you keep repeating that you can help them, a positive outcome is more likely.

4. Learn to deal with your own feelings, especially your anger: Before anything else, you have to want to keep calm. Deal with your anger in a manner that helps rather than hinders your success. Most important: What are you saying to yourself about yourself? The moment you start doubting yourself, you’re dead in the water. Don’t take it personally.

5. Some other self-calming strategies include deep breathing and counting to ten, doing some physical exercises, as well as consciously relaxing your shoulders and stomach muscles, looking for positive things in the negative, thinking humorous thoughts, writing things down so that you break off the glaring at each other behaviour, taking time out and postponing the discussion until both of you are calmer, be aware of your own voice, and speak slower, lower and softer, vent your own frustration in a “safe” place, (but not your family,) or pass the angry customer onto someone else who is more objective and neutral.

6. Spend time with the person you are confronting trying to understand the nature of their difficulties, and using your skills to manage their anger: Skills like empathy, clarifying and confirming, and longer conversations will help. Ask the other person to do you a favour and talk about exactly what sparked off their rage, and take it in turns not only to speak, but to also tell each other what you just heard. Focus on the behaviours that spark off the problem, not on attacking their personality, and especially avoid using names and labels. It’s not about naming, blaming and shaming.

7. Ensure that your interaction(s) achieve desirable results: Set a goal up front so that the other person knows where to aim. You can say something like: “I know this is hard for you, but I also know we will resolve this together in a way that makes you happy and I can live with.”

I can’t remember where I saw this, but it really resonates: “Today is but a blink in the greater scheme of the universe”. Move gracefully through difficult moments. Don’t get stuck there. Allow yourself to move through it. You can do this without depleting your energy reserves – simply by having the intention to do it. Remember, life is short. Make each day count and stop wasting your energy on negative thoughts, unproductive thinking about who said what to whom 10 years ago.

No less a respected journal than The Harvard Business Review (HBR) recently published an article entitled, Stay Calm When Someone Is Getting on Your Nerves. “Come on, HBR,” I thought to myself, “Is this the best you can do? Nothing like stating something that is so blindingly obvious!”

The basic theme of the article was that we all have people – and customers – who irritate us. People who interrupt, people who are filled with arrogance or sheer stupidity, people who are unreasonable, irrational, and emotional and who blame us personally for everything that is wrong in the world. And that excludes the anonymous people who post nasty things in the social media, and the self-important bullies who can only feel good about themselves if they put you down.

Then the authors write: “To help yourself, remain calm in these situations, acknowledge your emotions and think through why you’re reacting the way you are. For example, you might get angry about being interrupted because it was a major problem at your last job or in a prior personal relationship. Don’t let those associations control you…”

And yet… if an esteemed publication like the HBR feels a need to publish such an article, maybe it’s because most people don’t get it. You are definitely going to occasionally get the “customer from hell.” You may have tried all of the best strategies in the world, maybe even used some of the hints for dealing with complaints, problems and anger covered in one of my previous columns.

There are probably only a handful of responses to people like this, but I have to completely agree that it all starts with you. Whenever I see bad behaviour, whenever I see people troubled in their lives, or whenever there is some conflict or event that challenges all of the things that glue society together, then the first place I look is at the self-esteem.

Why is it true that some people let the smallest thing spark off rage, while others seem to be able to remain calm, no matter what happens? When someone needs to behave in this obnoxious, aggressive and hurtful way, what are they saying about themselves? It’s because they feel weak and vulnerable and insecure. I know the times when I flash a fist at a taxi driver, or snap at someone, or slam a door, those are not the times when I feel good about myself, happy with who I am, and when I just know that the world is just a great, forgiving, generous abundant place. They are the times when I feel fearful, hurt, and out of control. (Under different circumstances when they aren’t attacking you, you may even feel sorry for the customers from hell.)

If we paint the opposite picture, it becomes even more obvious: people who feel optimistic, positive, and who like themselves don’t need to behave like this. They are generous, kind, sensitive, empathetic and helpful towards others.

So how should you deal with your own negative feelings? Many people believe – incorrectly – that bad emotions are always dangerous and powerful. If we express these feelings openly, then we’ll be less popular, lose someone’s love and admiration, or provoke someone’s anger, boredom or dislike. This – being liked by everybody all of the time – is unrealistic. People also believe – and also incorrectly – that it’s unhealthy or dishonest to try to control how they express their feelings. They believe that they have a right, indeed a responsibility, to let people aggressively know how they feel in any manner they choose, no matter what the circumstances or the consequences.

Therefore, there are only two ways we can deal with bad emotions: repress them or express them in the form in which we experience them, that is, negatively. Both of these can be pretty destructive. Repressing your negative feelings happens in one of two ways: denial, (“I can’t admit having these negative emotions,”) or suppression, (“I know how I feel, but I can’t think of a constructive way to express these feelings, so I won’t display them.”) If you do this, you know that you may be sparing others, but hurting yourself. But if you don’t deal with these feelings, they won’t go away. Instead, they show themselves in some of the following symptoms: depression, physical illness, (including headaches, stiff muscles, insomnia, eating disorders, ulcers and even heart attacks,) low self-esteem, emotional withdrawal, (we become apathetic, unenthusiastic, indifferent and uninvolved, just going through the motions,) and even recourse to drugs and alcohol, (we seek escape through substance abuse.)

Destructive expression, on the other hand, can also hurt the recipients and alienate people from you. Moody people thus become isolated from others, often lashing out at the nearest target, and feeling terrible afterwards. They show some of the following behaviours: temper tantrums, (childish, inappropriate, and uncontrolled anger that can be triggered by even trivial things – some of them going back years and years,) sulking and “the silent treatment,” (in which they refuse to explain why they are upset,) and sarcasm, (because they are reluctant to confront the cause of their bad mood directly.) In groups we sometimes call these “passive aggressive” behaviours.

Remember that we have already established the fact that defensive behaviour does not help. Yes, criticism is hard to accept especially when you work hard, when you are trying to please people, and when you feel it is unjustified. It is hurtful. But trying to justify your behaviour, or even trying to shift the blame or prove that the other person is wrong, is futile. They will all be rejected by the other person unless you have worked through all of the conflict and anger.

Of course you have a right to feel anger and express it sometimes. Anger doesn’t have to lead to violence or more anger. Your goal is to learn to deal with anger more constructively, not to ignore it or to repress it. Also, don’t rationalise your reluctance to express anger. Excuses like, “I won’t say anything because I’ll hurt the other person’s feelings,” are ways of explaining to yourself why you don’t do what you have never learned to do. Instead of dwelling on the reasons why you don’t express anger, concentrate on learning how to do it.

There’s a lovely legend I’d like to end off with: One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people. He said, “My son, the battle is between two wolves inside us all. One is Evil – It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego. The other is Goodness – It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith.”

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather: “Which wolf wins?”

The old Cherokee simply replied, “The one you feed.”

If you feel strong, confident, secure, and have good self-esteem, you will be able to deal with unhappy and abusive people, no matter what they throw at you. This is the big secret of keeping yourself calm.

In part 2 of this series we will look at some of the practical things you can do to calm down upset customers.

Customer loyalty has evolved. Shoppers now enjoy a fast-paced lifestyle filled with digital interactions and expect to be rewarded immediately. Retailers, on the other hand, can get caught up with their department objectives and lose sight of the customer’s overall experience.

What’s more is that some brands have seen loyalty programmes as a data-driven quick-win to amass customer loyalty. But research has shown that genuine loyalty is rooted in a certain emotional connection. Companies have to thus offer more than benefits to foster customer engagement.

As the digital and physical worlds continue to converge, it will be essential to identify the customer journey and integrate all relevant data sources across every touchpoint. With data-based mapping of customer journeys, brands can better understand customers even before they decide to shop. They can define the available alternatives, and who they share their experiences with.

This understanding will inevitably help customers select, purchase and enjoy products and services , all while enhancing the customer experience – every time across every channel.

The relationship between customers and retailers is now far more complex. But there are ways to make sense of it. In order to provide long-term value to shoppers, retailers need to understand their customers’ journeys to ultimately satisfy their needs. Collecting, analysing and drawing actionable insights to form customer strategies enables retailers to make customer-centric decisions.

According to Microsoft, the average human currently has an attention span of eight seconds, 33,3% less compared to the 12 seconds in the year 2001. Smartphones and mobile devices contribute to this phenomenon, creating greater demand for easy and convenient online communication and services.

When a potential client stays on a page for longer than 30 seconds they are more likely to spend two minutes or more on the site. This also increases the chances of returning to the site at a later stage. The big question is, how does a leading online service retain a customer’s attention, create a relationship and maintain it?

“Customers want to have control of their decisions, participate in activities and quickly get the message that is being translated to them. In order for online services to retain consumer attention long enough, they need to provide them with a site that has clear messaging and easy navigation through the various sections, all underpinned by a compelling value proposition to the customer,” says Derek Wilson, head of Hippo.co.za.

Here are some of the tactics used by Web site analysts to retain consumer attention:

Visual information – people are likely to remember 10% of the information they read three days later, whereas 65% is remembered when it is paired with relevant images/visuals.

Web design and development – 40% of visitors will exit the site if it takes longer than three seconds to load. Web sites also have to be mobile device friendly and have an easy to remember website address.

Filter applications – they allow the consumer to customise information and simplify the search process.

Interactivity – Web sites that have interactive features (for example audio, video, or scroll events) can keep site visitors entertained and lingering for longer.

Create an excellent online customer service experience. According to research, 47% of customers could take their business to a competitor within a day of experiencing bad service.

Building a loved brand goes a long way to improve customers’ propensity to use the service frequently.

If you’re in the business of selling products and services, a content and loyal customer is worth their weight in gold.
However, as technologically-enhanced, real-time communication grows, a dissatisfied customer can be a ticking time-bomb that can do significant damage to your brand’s reputation.

Choose the right medium

It’s vital to know when to use technology-based services and when to rely on human interaction. An online form or automated response might work for a customer who’s looking for efficiency and a quick fix, but someone who’s desperately seeking consolation, advice or assistance won’t react well to a machine. Train service agents to know when which form of service is most appropriate.

Streamline consultancy

Working with one consultant is invaluable for customers. One point of contact simplifies exchange, makes problem solving efficient and decreases frustration levels. This system also allows consultants to build strong and lasting relationships with clients.

Reward valuable customers

Tailored services for long-standing clients, as well as new and existing “big spenders”, are a useful value-add – whether it’s additional or personalised services, or exclusive benefits. This can result in significant growth and investment from the customer’s side.

Listen

“Customer service” often drums up images of sub-par call centres, but valuable support can be offered in so many ways. Social media, if used properly, can be a powerful tool to gain insights from customers to improve service. Feedback is never diluted and happens in realtime, which is a huge asset if managed properly.

Offer specialised support

Effective communication is the first tenant of great customer service. This means if your customer service support team isn’t speaking the same language as your customers – literally and figuratively – you’ll never be offering the best service possible. Make sure your support team is tailored according to region, accents and even vernacular, to ensure a fruitful exchange.

Fix issues quickly

As far as possible, make sure customers’ issues are resolved the very first time they complain, so clients experience the least downtime and maximise efficiency. First time fix (FTF) is a sure-fire way to get repeat business.

Follow up

A customer scorned once is dangerous; a customer scorned twice is fatal – and they will not hesitate to make their plight known. Even after the resolution of an issue, there should always be some kind of follow-up communication to check the problem hasn’t returned, and the client is happy. It never goes amiss.

Getting great customer service

Have you ever wondered how some people always seem to get the best table, the upgraded room or the best piece of meat at the market? Conversely, others seem to continually get the surly waiter, the lazy clerk or the indifferent bellhop.
Great customer service is no accident; there are things you can do to get it. Indeed, those who receive the most professional, courteous and friendly service follow a deliberate recipe that turns even a cold and raw initial encounter into a warm and delicious experience.

Here are six tips for almost always getting great customer service:

Be positive

Enter the scene with the expectation that greatness is about to happen and that it should happen to you. Visualise being served well. Then let your obvious positive attitude and confident expectation come from your terrific mental picture. Avoid making demands. Instead, put your energy into creating early, light-hearted vibes.

Make a good first impression

The first 10 seconds are vital to shaping the reception you are likely to get. Aim your eyes and best smile at the service provider. Deliver a friendly greeting. Be confident, but not aggressive or pushy. Optimism and joy are generally infectious. Remember, servers favour customers who are a pleasure to serve.

Lend a hand

Most service people really are eager to give great service. But sometimes barriers can make it difficult. So, be a willing helper in clearing those barriers away. If the barrier is the server’s foul mood, try a quick tease or sincere compliment to turn sour into sunny. If the barrier is an absurd policy, offer a novel suggestion that helps you get what you want without putting your service person at risk of managerial disdain.

Be respectful

No matter how determined a service provider seems to be to provide the absolute bare minimum, always treat them with respect. Sometimes a “no!” is an unshakable “no”.
Always use your very best manners: “please”, “sir” and “thank you”. Remember that a chilly initial reception will generally thaw if you are persistent in your cheerfulness. Your server just might surprise you with a turnaround attitude late in the encounter.

Be playful

Use a playful style that lets the service person be a bit mischievous. Instead of announcing: “I’d like a no-smoking table with a view”, try: “We’d love to get the table that you would want if this was your special night. I know you can get us just the right spot.”
If you help make service delivery feel fun, you’ll have servers wanting to join you on the playground.

Be generous and thoughtful

Never view a service encounter as a single transaction, but rather the start of an important relationship. Assume you’ll be back, and be generous in expressing your gratitude for great service.
Praise service people to their superiors. Express your compliments to great service providers with a follow-up note or call. The next time you return, you’ll get their red carpet best.

Don’t wait for great service to come to you. Take charge of elevating the encounter from a “pretty good” transaction to an “I wouldn’t go anywhere else” relationship.

Service people enjoy great customers just as much as customers enjoy great servers. So, “serve” from your heart and you’ll be served in the same fashion.

Amazon has revealed that it has more than 200 000 customers purchasing from its Amazon Business platform.

The e-tailer launched the B2B marketplace last April and said its business customers range from small businesses to Fortune 500 companies. However, it didn’t say what sales revenue it generated through the platform.

The reference to Fortune 500 companies is bound to be music to the ears of Staples and Office Depot as they challenge the FTC over their proposed merger. The FTC is blocking the deal due to what it sees as a lack of competition in that large corporate space.

Amazon’s full-year 2015 sales surpassed the $100-billion mark, increasing 20% versus 2014 to $107-billion. It now has more than 300-million active customers worldwide, with an estimated 50-million Prime members.